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Windstream makes Avaya-based UCaaS service nationally available

Windstream is enhancing its bond with its managed service customer base by making Avaya's Aura Unified Communications (UC) solution as a cloud-based offering available on a national basis via its Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) product.

Avaya said that Windstream, which is one of the vendor's channel partners, is the first North American service provider to make its UC solution available as a cloud-based offering.

The service provider can use this solution to target new and existing customers in the mid-size to large enterprise market that traditional telcos like AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) have largely ignored in favor of large global accounts. Customers will be able to get access to all of Avaya Aura's capabilities, including VoIP, unified messaging, desktop video and various other mobility collaborative solutions.

Similar to its other managed service offerings, the UCaaS solution will be supported by Windstream's growing set of data centers and delivered over its MPLS network.

A key driver of this platform is flexibility. Avaya's utility-based consumption model allows both the cloud provider and their customers to pay for only the service they use. By eliminating the requirement to preset the number of licenses, customers can scale the services up or down depending on their particular needs.

Timing for this alliance could not be better. A recent Frost & Sullivan report forecast that the hosted IP telephony and UCC market is expected to grow to $13.23 billion by 2020.

Having this option available will enable Windstream to further its bond with its growing enterprise base. While it won't announce its second-quarter 2014 earnings until Aug. 7, the service provider reported in the first quarter that sales of IP-based data and next-gen services, data and integrated services revenues grew 3 percent to $414 million.